


Hold back the river

by NegativeBlue



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Season 3B, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Day 4: Canon Divergence entry, F/F, Swan Queen Week 2015, character piece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-30
Updated: 2015-01-30
Packaged: 2018-03-09 15:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3255074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NegativeBlue/pseuds/NegativeBlue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Regina?” Vaguely, she hears her mother’s voice coming from somewhere behind her, but her attention is on the woman standing in front of her instead. Her eyes find Regina’s own and then they dip. They dip and find the little girl wrapped up in a pink baby blanket and Emma’s breath catches.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hold back the river

**Author's Note:**

> This story is basically an Alternate season 3B. Emma and Henry are also transported to The Enchanted Forest and Zelena stays there, while everyone else returns to Storybrooke. It also assumes they were there for far longer than a year. In my universe there are no canon LIs for the ladies, simply because it's my sandbox to play in.
> 
> Special thanks to Antti for betaing all of this so quickly.
> 
> Title taken from James Bay's song of the same name.

 

 

* * *

 

  
  


It’s dark, all too dark and she wonders if this is what was supposed to happen. And for a moment that seems both too long and too short, everything just spins, as if she’s in the middle of a silent storm. Then she opens her eyes and her vision clears. But it gets too bright and Emma has to shield her eyes, blinking against the sudden and overwhelming abundance of light.

 

She startles upon catching the first glimpses of her surroundings and attempts to wrap her mind around what she’s seeing, when she hears something that distracts her. A baby is crying softly, not too far away from where she’s standing. And despite her still wobbly legs, she turns around far faster than she thought she would be capable of right now.

 

“Regina?” Vaguely, she hears her mother’s voice coming from somewhere behind her, but her attention is on the woman standing in front of her instead. Her eyes find Regina’s own and then they dip. They dip and find the little girl wrapped up in a pink baby blanket and Emma’s breath catches.

 

She hears her mother’s voice, closer now, “what happened? The spell didn’t work? Regin..oh.” Oh, Emma repeats Snow’s words silently as the sentence halts in the middle. Oh, because she can’t seem to unglue her eyes from the baby suckling on one of Regina’s fingers; eyes bright, cheeks rosy and Emma’s stomach knots after a few more seconds of staring.

 

“It did,” Regina finally says.

 

“But we’re..and you’re..” And then her mother goes quiet again and Emma glances over to find her parents communication silently with each other, though apparently being equally at a loss of words.

 

“Yes, on both accounts. It would appear we’re…”

 

She only just has the presence of mind to take a step forward and support Regina by placing a hand across her back.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“I..think so.” But it sounds hesitant, unsure and Emma did notice the weariness in every spoken word. In the way Regina was carrying herself.

 

“I assume I somehow brought us back here, though I..I’m unsure as to why. But I feel drained as if I expended a large amount of magic recently.”

 

“Any idea why we can’t remember anything?” Snow asks. Then she frowns and Emma follows her line of sight to a few people talking amongst themselves in an agitated manner down the street.

 

“Or how much time has passed?” David wonders out loud.

 

“I assume close to year at least,” she guesses while her eyes once again drift towards the baby that Regina is cradling close to her chest. “Or, well, unless..”

 

She doesn’t finish her sentence, but she assumes she doesn’t need to. Regina’s lips form into a thin line of displeasure as she catches on to what Emma was trying to ask without actually saying the words out loud.

 

“I can assure you dear, I would’ve known if I was pregnant when I was transporting us to The Enchanted Forest.”

 

“Right, yeah,” she mutters, feeling her cheeks flush slightly with the penetrating stare leveled her way. “But you don’t know who the..” and then she stops herself before the final words can roll across her lips. It’s a foolish question to ask, especially since all she can remember is Regina raising her hands and weaving the magic to transport them all to safety.

 

A blink, and then they were here and she wonders what really happened. She wonders why they were back. And she wonders about the little girl in Regina’s arms. Feels herself drawn towards the little noises the baby makes, the quirky little smiles that she can’t help but return. A moment in time, where there is just that and nothing else. But then she can hear the voices around her returning and she looks away again.

 

Though not before she catches the odd look that Regina gives her.

 

“What?” She mutters, in a slightly unkind way, but it was the only defense she has left, especially with the entire world pushing in on her.

 

“Moms!”

 

It takes her a second to see where the sound is coming from, but then she smiles. Deep inside she knew Henry was somewhere in town, safe, but there had been a niggling doubt when she hadn’t seen him with them initially.

 

“Henry!” She hears Regina call out in return. She hugs him briefly when he approaches her, though she can basically see the question marks forming in his eyes when he takes note of the bundle in Regina’s arms.

 

“Mom?”

 

The loving smile that Regina gives Henry as she turns around slightly and reveals the baby fully to Henry’s eyes, causes a lump to lodge in her throat. And she has to avert her gaze. Because something about it all makes her ache and she wishes she would know what happened during the time they were gone.

 

“I have a baby sister?” There’s wonder in his voice and Emma looks up to see him reach out carefully with the tips of his fingers, brushing across the soft baby hair and then along the girl’s small button nose. “I..wow, I thought that..” He frowns and Emma isn’t quite able to decipher the myriad of emotions that pass across his features. “How much time has passed?”

 

“We don’t know yet.” Her father beats her to the punch. She notices his eyes flicking to the side, the clear concern on his face as Regina sways slightly from side to side. “Regina?”

 

“I’m fine, truly, just tired.”

 

“Then maybe before we get to the bottom of this we should get you and..” He takes a step forward and it’s only when he flips a corner of the baby blanket that she understands what had drawn his attention. A name was stitched on the blanket in big gold letters. “Mariela?”

 

“Oh.” It’s a soft breathy exhale and then Regina smiles and bends her head down, places a small kiss on the crown of Mariela’s head. Soft gurgling is her reward and the lump in Emma’s throat grows bigger when the baby grabs a fist full of Regina’s hair and refuses to let go for a moment.

 

“I made that, didn’t I?”

 

“The blanket?” Emma questions, and she’s surprised at the slightly tear-filled eyes that settle on her. The only answer to her question a slight nod as Snow looks at Mariela again.

 

“Thank you,” Regina says quietly in response. “It’s beautiful.”

 

“She’s beautiful,” is her mother’s response.

 

“She is,” Regina agrees, but there’s something in her voice that sounds a little off, though Emma isn’t quite able to lay her finger on it.

 

“I can take Henry with me for the night,” she finally offers up after a moment has passed. A moment in which everyone is basically crowding around Mariela, though she keeps her distance. “Give you some time to get settled in and all.”

 

“David and I could stop by some stores, get you all the required things.”

 

Emma thinks Regina is about to decline, but then she sighs and her lips curve into a tired smile. “I would appreciate the help, however before you empty all of the stores in mainstreet, only the most necessary of things dears, I will do some shopping of my own tomorrow.”

 

Her father chuckles while Emma imagines her mother walking into a baby store and buying every single onesie she is able to find. She smiles at the thought, before she gazes across the street from where they are standing. Several people had gathered in front of Granny’s and from what she can see and hear, she believes it to be a good move to step in before things spin out of control.

 

She’s already subconsciously moving to that direction when she hears her father’s voice call out behind her. “You want me to go with you?”

 

“No, I think it’ll be fine. Besides,” she smirks as she turns to face him, “I’ll have Granny and Ruby there for backup.”

 

“Good point. Call me if something comes up okay? We should probably setup something in the Townhall to inform people tomorrow.”  
  
She nods and tries to turn back around but her eyes drift and her feet root themselves to the ground. Regina is cooing at the baby, playing with the tiny little hand that has wrapped itself around one of her fingers, and it takes every shred of willpower Emma has to actually turn around and walk away.

 

Because she wants to stay. She wants to stay with every fiber of her being and she doesn’t understand why.

  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  


She cringes slightly as she knocks on the door. It sounds too loud and she prays that the baby wasn’t sleeping.

 

“Come in.”

 

“Sorry, I hope I wasn’t dist..” she halts then, her eyebrows raising into her hairline when she sees her mother sitting on a chair next to the desk. Regina is sitting on the other side, Mariela placed carefully across her lap while she gives the bottle.

 

“I guess I was disturbing,” she mutters, feeling awkward and out of place suddenly. “I can come back if it’s a bad time.”

 

“No it’s alright dear, your mother and I were just finishing up our talk.”

 

“Okay..” She waits for a moment longer and flicks her eyes down, towards the stack of papers in her hand that suddenly feels far too heavy.

 

“We’ll talk more later Regina, and the invitation for tonight still stands should you reconsider.”

 

“I might,” Regina says, and Emma catches the way Regina glances down, Mariela’s fingers having wrapped themselves around the bottle she’s holding. “I’ll have to see how she is tonight.”

 

Snow nods, turning towards her at the door to give her a smile and reminding her of tonight’s family dinner at Granny’s that she quickly waves away, and then the door closes and she’s alone with Regina and Mariela in the office.

 

“Is she okay?”

 

“She is...better I suppose. She had a fever last night and I went to see Whale this morning. Seems to be just a mild case of the flu, but I’m keeping a close eye on her, just in case.”

 

“Not your first rodeo I’m sure.” It slips out before she has a chance to think better of it and her cheeks grow hot in response.

 

Though thankfully all she gets is a smile. Followed by a slight wave of a hand that she interprets as a gesture for her to sit down on the chair Snow vacated moments before.

 

“Henry had a really bad flu once, when he was two. I..spend the better part of a week taking care of him. I actually didn’t set a foot in the office for two weeks in the end. I needed to make sure he was fine, that there wasn’t a chance he would have a relapse, and I didn’t want to needlessly move him around while I wasn’t a hundred percent sure he was completely healthy again.”

 

“I’m actually still amazed you managed to raise him all by yourself, while you ran this town as well.”

 

“Believe me, so am I dear. It’s why your mother stopped by actually. She offered to help me with babysitting Mariela sometimes as well as with running the town.”

 

She’s only slightly surprised when she hears Regina explaining her mother’s presence in the office minutes ago. In a way, she thinks it was expected; her mother and Regina had been getting along better, prior to the whole thing that happened with Pan’s curse. What isn’t expected is the slight pang of jealousy that settles in the pit of her stomach.

 

She doesn’t understand why initially and avoids the inquisitive look that Regina throws her; as if she notices something was off about her. But it dawns on her pretty quickly when she steals a glance Mariela’s way. She wants to be the one. To offer help. To babysit Mariela. The feeling and realization are strange, as if they aren’t her own and she shifts around slightly in the chair, feeling as if the office is suddenly too small.

 

“The forms I was waiting for, I presume?” Regina’s head tilts towards the stack of papers lying in her lap and she blinks before focusing her attention back on the reason she had come to see Regina.

 

“Yeah, I know you were waiting for them. I had some problems with checking off some of the requisitions so I wanted to give you a heads up about that. I suppose you can check them for now and see what needs adjusting.”

 

She had also needed an excuse to see the baby. The past week went by far too quickly, and she barely caught a glimpse or two of the little girl. But when she looks at Mariela right now she’s once again amazed at just how much she looks like her mother. The eyes especially.

 

“That will be quite alright, I can call you later and see what to discuss about those particular forms.” She puts the empty bottle down and Emma watches on quietly as she places a small towel across her shoulder and walks around with Mariela while gently patting her on the back. “While you are here however, there is something else I would like to ask of you.”

 

“Sure?”

 

She expects it to be work related. After all, they hadn’t interacted much this week, besides for talking over the discussion points for the town meeting and approaching the fairies for some input on everyone’s collective memory loss. She knows Regina has been busy of course, has heard a few things from Henry when he spend the day over at her mansion, but there’s still a part of her that experiences it as a loss. A loss of what, she hasn’t been able to figure out. But her nights are restless, and she’s spend more time staring at the ceiling than actually sleeping. Her thoughts always drift. Towards the moment where she turns around in the middle of the street. The moment where she saw Regina holding Mariele for what felt like the first time. And she wonders why can’t let that moment go.

 

It’s why she’s here, right now, her eyes following Regina’s form as she walks around the office and whispers things Emma can’t hear into the baby’s ears.

 

She’s surprised that after Mariela has belched, and Regina sits down again, absentmindedly playing with Mariela’s tiny little feet, a key is fished from a drawer somewhere and placed on the desk in front of her.

 

“What’s that?” She sputters out. When she gets a raised eyebrow and an bemused smile she rolls her eyes in response. “I mean, I know what it is, but what is it for?”

 

“It’s the key to my house actually, I also gave one to your mother earlier.”

 

She actually gapes at Regina for a moment, a million questions forming in her mind without her being able to formulate a single one of them. “Uhm?” And she actually has to close her eyes at her own response. “Sorry, it’s just that I don’t get what I would need it for?”

 

“It’s more of a precaution. I wouldn’t have transported us back here without reason Emma, and we’re all missing our memories to top it off. I do not know if we are in any danger or not, but until we find out just what exactly happened or find a way to break this new curse, I won’t put my trust in more than a select few.”

 

“So you think someone in town…”

 

“I don’t know.” Regina sighs, and Emma becomes aware of how tired Regina really looks when she isn’t trying to hide behind masks and facades. There were growing bags beneath her eyes that no amount of hastily applied concealer could hide, especially not while they were sitting this close together. “But for Henry’s and Mariela’s sakes, I want to make sure others could get into my house should it be necessary.”

 

“Couldn’t magic help with protecting the house?”  
  


“Perhaps. I don’t know. I would like to think we escaped from The Enchanted Forest because there was something there that we, I, couldn’t defeat. I would rest better knowing that people I trust could come to my aid should it be required.”

 

“Okay,” she mutters by way of agreement, while pocketing the key silently. She doesn’t voice the niggling thought that if there was some kind of threat to them, to the town, they would likely go after the only real opponent that remained. “If it would help I could set up some kind of schedule with someone keeping an eye on your mansion.”

 

“That’s not really necessary dear, as much as I appreciate the offer.” Regina looks at her for a moment too long then and Emma’s stomach flips. The emotions in Regina’s brown eyes are haunting in their intensity, before she looks away suddenly; a strange kind of darkness rolling across her features as she gazes away into nothingness.

 

“Should something happen to me..”

 

“Regina..”

 

“I made a lot of enemies over there Emma. A lot. It’s something of a reality I have to face. I’ve already discussed this with your mother and I would like you to be involved as well.”  
  


“Involved in what exactly?” Though she knows the answer before she even asks the question.

 

“Raising Mariela, should it come to that.”

  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  
  


She doesn’t really think about the key until after the second time she presses the doorbell and there is no response forthcoming. A tinge of worry works it way to the foreground of her mind, but not enough to make her panic. On the other hand it was still enough for her to use the key and call out Regina’s name the moment she takes a step inside.

 

“Ma? I’m in living room.”

 

She frowns a little in response, having thought that Henry was with David. Her father had been spending some time at the animal shelter lately and Henry had accompanied him to help sometimes.

 

“Is everything okay? You weren’t..” Answering the doorbell she thinks. Then she chuckles slightly upon seeing what Henry was doing. “Diaper duty, kid?” She glances around but doesn’t spot Regina anywhere right away. “Is your mom okay?”

 

“Yeah, she’s sleeping for an hour or two.”

 

Emma nods and drops down to her knees next to the coffee table. There was a large blanket spread out across of it, with Mariela in the middle of it, though she kept trying to roll to her side to Henry’s great annoyance.

 

“She did seem pretty tired when I saw her the other day,” Emma says as she rummages through the bag next to Henry and removes some items from it. “Good thing she’s trying to get a few extra hours of sleep in when she can.”

 

Mariela gurgling briefly distracts her from what she’s doing and Emma smiles when she sees the baby suckle on her fingers, while her eyes seemingly follow Emma’s every move. “I suppose the fever hasn’t returned?”

 

“Mom says she’s been fever free for days now, but she still seems to be unable to let Mari out of her sight.” Henry shakes his head, the sudden serious expression that flits across his features making him look far older than he really is. “I think Mom’s a little less worried now though, at least she’s been taking regular naps these past few days.”

 

“I’d call that an improvement at least. If you ever need help though kid, don’t hesitate to call me okay? Even if I’m on duty, it’s not like there’s anything urgent going on the town right now anyway.”

 

“Yeah, well,” his nose scrunches up as he holds up a clean diaper and she smiles and shakes her head. “Mom’s been trying to teach me how to do this, but..”

 

“But you’re a sneaky little...” Emma adds, without finishing her sentence. “Don’t think I didn’t notice how you toyed around with the washcloth instead of actually cleaning her up. You were just stalling until I took over, weren’t you?”

 

He shrugs but instead of answering her question, he hands over a few more items before making his way towards the general direction of the kitchen.

 

“Just where the hell do you think you’re going?” she mutters with just the hints of annoyance in her voice.

 

“Grab something to drink? I’ll be right back.”

 

She snorts, turns Mariela slightly on her side to finish cleaning her up before grabbing the diaper. “Of course you are. You’re grounded by the way.”

 

She ignores the loud groan coming from the kitchen and finishes putting on the diaper, after which she grabs the fresh set of clothes lying on a small pile and redresses a slightly protesting Mariela.

 

“I would dare say he’s inherited that trait from you dear.” Regina’s voice speaking up so suddenly makes her heart skip a beat or two and she cranes her head to glare towards her direction. Only to stop when she sees Regina standing there dressed in a bathrobe; slightly disheveled, hair tousled and her eyes still heavy with sleep as she stifles a yawn behind one of her hands.

 

“Pfft,” she protests after a moment, “not a chance, his scheming ways are all you actually.” She attempts an easy smile and is glad when Regina returns it for a moment, before she launches herself away from the wall she was leaning against.

 

“I had no clue you could be that stealthy though, how long were you standing there?”

 

“Long enough to hear Henry was grounded it seems.”  
  


“Oh come on,” she hears Henry whining and she laughs when he appears around the corner of the room, a glass of cola in his hands while he looks at them both rather petulantly. “You can’t ground me for that!”

 

“I dunno, avoiding diaper duty seems like a pretty good reason to ground you, to me.”

 

“Mom?”

 

All he gets is a shrug and Emma has to hide her amusement by dipping her chin to her chest.

 

“You both suck,” Henry mutters and flops down on the couch dramatically.

 

“Pretty sure he did get the theatrics from you though,” Emma says with a chuckle. She picks Mariela up without thought and cradles the baby in her arms. “Seems the little one looks a bit hungry to me,” she comments while tickling Mariela’s sides ever so slightly.

 

“It is almost time for her bottle actually.”

 

“Yeah, I figured as much.”

 

“You’re good with her.” It was said quietly as Emma stops in front of Regina while carrying Mariela in her arms. “You did a good job with changing her diaper as well.”

 

“Yeah..” she swallows but doesn’t really know what to say. What she could say. How could she explain that it felt as if she had changed Mariela’s diapers a hundred times over? How could she explain away the connection she felt? Something happened in the time they were gone and she wishes more than ever that she knew what it was.

 

“Emma?”

 

“Hm?” She blinks and looks up at Regina, unsure of what to make of the expression on her face. The baby stirs against her chest and without another word she gently places her in Regina’s arms.

 

“I was asking if you wanted to stay over for dinner?”

 

“I..” The question takes her by surprise but she doesn’t really see a reason to say no. At least not until her eyes flit back towards Mariela’s eyes, the slight dimpling of her cheeks as she smiles up at Emma.

 

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” she says then, her voice sounding far stronger than she feels.

 

So she turns heel and flees, almost runs towards the doors as her heartbeat accelerates with the sudden onset of the panic she feels.

 

She can’t stay. She can’t open herself up to possibilities while all the while knowing that there was someone else out there, with whom Regina had been with.

 

So she can’t stay and while she’s tempted to throw the key in her pocket away, she doesn’t. She leans against the door of her car and calms her breathing while her fingers curl around the key for the longest of times.

  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  


There isn’t even a knock, the door is just swung open and the paperwork that she has been staring at for the past half an hour or without actually seeing anything, flies out of her hands in surprise.

 

“What the..R-regina?”

 

“I’m not surprised you had troubles recognising me dear, seeing as you’ve been avoiding me for the better part of the last two weeks.”

 

“What? I haven’t been..” she gets interrupted before she manages to finish her half assed excuse and Emma clenches her hands to tight fists in frustration.

 

“You have.” Regina seems poised to say more but to Emma’s surprise she suddenly deflates and after placing the baby carrier on top of the desk and carefully removing Mariela from it, she settles down in one of the empty chairs.

 

“I didn’t mean to start an argument,” she continues after fishing a tiger plushie from the bag she had placed next to the carrier. “But I...I just wanted to know why I suppose. If it’s because I burdened you too much because of what I asked of..”

 

“No,” Emma cuts her off immediately and vehemently. “That’s not it at all.” She stands up from her own chair and paces back and forward while taking some deep breaths. “I don’t even know where to start.”

 

“You’re wondering what happened.”

 

That at least gets her attention and she perks up, her eyes find Regina’s own, asking her to clarify without words.

 

“Over there…” Regina hesitates then, and Emma watches her play with Mariela’s kicking feet, though her eyes never waver. “Between us.”

 

“Something did.”

 

“Something did,” Regina agrees and Emma feels some weight lift of her chest upon hearing her own suspicions confirmed.

 

“I feel like we spent time there, like I spent time there with Mariela. I feel like I..” she hesitates and looks away, towards the window, unsure of how much to reveal. Unsure of how deep this unsettling feeling of belonging truly runs.

 

“It makes me feel conflicted,” she finally confesses up after the silence lingers on. Until it becomes uncomfortable, suffocating and she can’t do anything else but speak up again. “Because I want to spend time with you, with the little one, but I’m not..”

 

“Whomever it is that’s the father?”

 

“Yes,” she answers, her nails digging into the desk’s surface as she forces the word through her constricted throat. “I don’t have a right to..”

 

“You do.” She’s surprised at Regina’s instant response. Even more surprised by the hand placed along her arm, exerting gentle pressure in an attempt to get her to turn around.

 

“Whatever happened over there doesn’t matter right now. We might never get those memories back. But I...this time we’ve spent apart recently affects me Emma, affects me in ways I can’t explain either. I can only repeat what I said when you were at my house, that you’re good with Mariela, and this feeling I have that you’ve helped taking care of her while we were over there.”

 

The hand withdraws then and Emma swallows thickly before craning her head around to study Regina. “What do you suggest we do then?”

 

“Spend time together and see where it leads,” Regina speaks up without hesitation, a beatific smile playing along her lips.

 

And Emma wonders, even as she turns around and returns the smile, if it could really be that easy.

  
  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  


“Have you thought about a magical paternity test?” Emma jokes as she places the pacifier into Mariela’s mouth while shifting her around slightly in her lap.

 

“Did your mother bring that up?”

 

“No?” She frowns for a second, the wheels spinning around in her head as to why Regina immediately jumped to that particular conclusion. “Why? Do I even want to know why?” she adds right afterwards.

 

“Other than the fact that she believes that it is a good idea to take a dna sample of every man in this this town, you mean?”

 

Emma snorts, drags Mariela’s favorite tiger plushie back from where the spot on the couch she had tossed it at. “I can’t really say I’m surprised. But no I didn’t really talk about this much with my mother, it was just a random thought that popped into my head.”

 

“I see.”

 

She wonders if she’s supposed to say something to continue the conversation, but decides to stay quiet for a while instead. Content to watch Mariela play with the plushie, her hands occasionally grabbing onto the shirt Emma was wearing.

 

“You know my mother would be okay with babysitting the little one more often though, right?”

 

“I do,” Regina smiles wryly, removing the glasses perched on her nose and folding them up before settling them on the table. The stack of papers she had been browsing through follow and then she moves up from the chair and walks over to the couch Emma is sitting on.

 

“I know your mother means..”

 

She doesn’t know if Regina actually says anything else. She doesn’t know anything for a moment. Because out of nowhere, she can feel an invisible wave slamming into her. Her thoughts break, and she can feel things seep into her. Memories, feelings, all the things that she’s been missing. A kaleidoscope of thoughts and memories and it’s too much and not enough all at once.

 

When she opens her eyes again, it feels like it’s years later, though she knows in reality only seconds could’ve passed. Tears form in her eyes as she looks down at the baby in her arms and she leans in and kisses Mariela’s forehead. Then she squeezes her eyes closed, can’t quite suppress the choking sob welling up in her throat, even as a few stray tears run down her cheeks.

 

“E-mma.”

 

All she can manage is a watery smile. “I..I remember,” she mutters out. She knows, from experience, that the curse was broken somehow, but in that moment she doesn’t care about how it did. All she cares about is that it did. That she remembers.

 

Regina is next to her in seconds and kisses her on her cheeks, her nose, before briefly lingering across her lips. “I’m sorry,” she mutters and the mournful tone is enough for Emma to use her free hand to cup one of Regina’s cheeks.

 

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. You saved us all, losing our memories wasn’t your fault.” And all magic comes with a price she thinks. A price she now knows was worth it in the end.

 

She breathes shakily when Regina leans her forehead against Emma’s and they sit like that for long minutes.

 

She doesn’t really know how much time has passed when the sudden ringing of a doorbell slightly startles them both. Regina gets up from the couch first and Emma follows her wordlessly; Mariela safely cradled in her arms. In a way, she’s not surprised to find her parents there, along with Henry. She laughs when Henry immediately launches himself into her and Regina both, though he’s careful enough to not bump into Mariela.

 

“Oh Emma,” is all that her mother says. Is all that Emma thinks she needs to say. Fresh tears well up in her eyes and she allows herself to be pulled slightly forward into a half hug. But it’s enough she thinks. It’s enough, especially when she thinks of all the time they had spent together in the castle. Bonding over the baby, bonding over their plans for the future.

 

“I don’t know what happened Mom, but suddenly…”

 

“It was us, Emma, your mother and I, we broke the curse,” David interrupts her. He’s glowing and she gives him a questioning look.

 

“True love’s kiss?” Regina inquires and she sounds as surprised as Emma is feeling.

 

“I know, I don’t really understand why it only worked just now. Maybe all that was needed was some kind of special circumstance?” Snow wonders out loud, then she smiles and pats her tummy. “I’m uhm..I  found out I'm pregnant, and David kissed me after I broke the news. And suddenly we remembered. ”

 

“Oh wow,” she mutters out which nets her a raised eyebrow from Regina and she narrows her eyes, knowing it wasn’t her most articulate response. “Congratulations,” she grins at them, and after she has placed Mariela in Regina’s arms, she hugs both of her parents in turn.

 

They all move to the living room after that, catching up while attempting to explain to Henry the newborn was going to be his uncle or aunt, which had him make faces that made Emma laugh harder than she had in weeks. She gives Mariela the bottle while talking with Snow about first trimester pregnancies and before she knows it it’s dark outside and they are saying their goodbyes again.

 

“Do you want us to have Henry over for the night, I’m sure you two might need some time to adjust to things,” her mother offers up at the door. “If that’s okay with you Henry?”

 

“Yeah, sure, I can go visit the newborn puppies with grandpa in the morning.” And Emma thinks, but doesn’t say out loud how he resembles one of those very same puppies himself with the way he’s bouncing around on his feet, all restless and full of energy.

 

“We will see you in the afternoon for dinner at Granny’s? I think we have some celebrating to do in general don’t you think?”

 

“Yeah, I don’t think that will be a problem,” Emma responds, though only after glancing at Regina for confirmation.

 

When they leave and the door closes Emma leans against it and looks at Regina standing in front of her. Mariela yawns and Emma grins broadly, warmth blooming in her chest. She walks over to Regina while pulling faces to make Mariela squeal with delight and then drops a kiss on the baby’s nose.

 

“I think it’s high time we put the little one to bed, huh?”

  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  


She stands in the door opening for a while, long after Regina has placed down the baby monitor and tucked Mariela in. She knows Regina is close by, can feel her presence, and Emma is thankful for giving her the time and space to get to terms with it all. Because it’s still a little weird when she thinks just a little too hard and a little too long. The new and old memories not quite fitting together, reminding her of puzzle pieces that overlap and stick out to the sides.

 

Eventually she takes a deep breath, gently closes the door and turns to face Regina with a slight flush coloring her cheeks. Because they had both been getting ready for bed in between tucking Mariela in, but they hadn’t really talked about it much otherwise.

 

“I uhm..” she breaks the silence hesitatingly. “I guess before we meet up with my parents tomorrow we should probably pay Nova a visit.”

 

She thinks the broad smile she gets in return is worth it, even if it meant they were dodging the real elephant in the room for the time being.

 

“I think you scared her enough while we were in The Enchanted Forest, dear.”

 

“Well, just to be on the safe side? I mean I know she meant well last time, but really..”

 

“I suppose it can’t hurt,” Regina says. “I would like to have a say over having a child, wish or not,” she adds.

 

“So you’re still okay with that?” She still had doubts about it sometimes. Because it had been her wish, and for some reason the spell had caused Regina to get pregnant instead.

 

“Of course, don’t you ever think I could have regrets about what happened Emma,” Regina whispers. The intensity in her eyes startles Emma. Startles her and makes heat flare up in her chest.

 

But it also makes her aware of where they are, who they are now and she clenches her hands ever so slightly at her sides. “I..I guess you might need some time to adjust to this change in our memories, so if you want me to take the guest..”

 

She never quite gets to finish her sentence. Regina steps into her personal space instantly, her hands framing Emma’s face on either side and she’s drawn into a kiss that steals both her breath and her thoughts and she moans lowly into her throat.

 

When they eventually break the kiss and Emma opens her eyes again she’s rendered speechless by the way Regina looks at her.

 

“I don’t think that guest room will get used anytime soon,” Regina says smirking, eyes dark and dangerous in the dimly lit hallway. It’s enough to make Emma’s mouth go dry.

 

She recovers a moment later, grinning when she feels Regina’s fingers lace with her own and allows herself to be lead to their bedroom.

  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Never thought I'd write a magic!baby fic but here we are. Don't think I'll write more of them in the future as I'm not a huge fan of them, but this was a plot bunny that just stuck in my head and I had to write it. Thank you for reading :)


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